Hobbit Oneshots
by Marianne Magnum
Summary: A bunch of Oneshots I have written. Mostly for Tumblr but decided to start putting them on here! I'll always take requests.
1. Chapter 2

Today was the day. Her hair was tied up with gold ribbons. She had met him once, and chatted with him for only an hour. She wasn't too impressed with her parents' choice in a husband. She was raised to marry a prince of Erebor. She had no say in the matter though, she was to be married in 20 minutes.

He had told her she was beautiful. Her heart thumped in her chest as her father led her down the aisle. This was it, she was to be given off like cattle between farmers. Her freedom had been long gone, but now it felt as if her cage was getting smaller. Soon she would suffocate.

"In my halls you will find a house, in your heart I will find a home." His chocolate eyes said to her. She couldn't help but notice how they reflected warmth in the light.

"In your halls I will find a house, in my heart you will find a home." Her voice dead and meaningless, however that didn't matter in a marriage ceremony. They were now married.

She was his wife. No matter how much she hated it, she was his. The feasts had been grand, every night a different luxury. His brother was always kind to her, he understood what it was like to be raised for something you didn't want. She slept with her back to him the first night, he assured her it would take some getting used to, but he took to sleeping on the sofa.

She liked the way he talked. His voice ran over her like molasses when he spoke. But she had to shake herself out of it, their marriage was a treaty, not anything more.

He got really drunk, and told her that he was the luckiest dwarf alive because he was married to her. She had taken his boots off and sent him to bed, ignoring the fact he smelled like a dirty tavern. The cushions on the sofa were lumpy and hard, but she managed to go to sleep, not before blushing from his drunken rant.

Her mother sent a letter, asking if there was to be a child. She hid the letter from him, hoping he wouldn't get the idea in his head. It had only been 2 months since they first met.

He held her hand as she cried today. His hands were strong and calloused, but for some reason had made her feel better. Her mother sent another letter, her brother had been murdered by orcs. They had never gone so close to their borders before. His camp had been set up, waiting for the perfect hunt. There were too many orcs, and too few guards. Her brother was her best friend, and she never got to say goodbye.

She drank too much. Every night she would have her maid bring up two bottles of wine and in the morning the maid would leave with three empty bottles. He asked her why this is, she told him it was the only way she could go to sleep. He didn't question her again.

They kissed today. She had another panic attack. Her knees wobbled and shook as he held her up. His lips were strong against hers, she had forgotten their marriage was a treaty, and nothing more. He smiled as he pulled away, she had felt a little more alive.

They often took walks. She needed the fresh air for her pounding head in the morning, and he didn't want to be any where near the crusty old counselors who could barely see anything. This morning he held her hand again, she had passed out the night before. He cautioned her that she should probably stop drinking so much, she asked why he cared. He told her that they were still husband and wife, even if they didn't like each other that much, he told her that he was worried for her health. She stormed off grumbling about how she can take care of herself.

She asked if he would stay with her tonight, with the blankets covering up to her chin. His exposed chest glistened in the dim firelight. He had wholeheartedly complied. Wrapping his arms around her, she felt safe. This was the first time she had felt loved since her brother had left.

Her mother sent another letter begging for an heir. She rolled her eyes and tossed it in the fire. He noticed but didn't say anything. He had taken to not questioning her.

She taught him about literature, while he taught her to use a bow. He had been surprisingly knowledgeable, while her arrows often went in the opposite directions. Laughing to themselves, they silently agreed to not tell anyone about that.

He kissed her with passion, with his body pressed against hers. The warmth of his breath on her as he explored her for the first time. The light was dim on his features, making him look dark. She loved the way he pressed against her, how he felt next to her. She loved the feeling of safety and security in his arms. Maybe her mother would get an heir after all.

There was to be a quest, to reclaim their home. He was required to go, it was his duty. She didn't reply, but sat in silence as he told her about it. She wasn't too fond of the idea of a dragon. She loved him. He loved her. Neither of them wanted to be apart, but it was his duty as a prince.

He told her he'd be back for her. After they won the mountain, they would return to their home. She argued that it wasn't their home, they had never been there, how could it be home? It is the Kingdom of Durin's folk he replied. It will be our home. He left the next morning, she waved him off with no emotions in her eyes. She knew what would happen.

Months passed. The heir she had produced died in the first trimester of her pregnancy. How she wished she had his arms around her.

She stopped drinking. She knew how much he hated it when she drank.

She finished the blanket she was making for her child, for her dead child. She had stopped crying weeks ago. His mother had taken the liberty to sit with her, and found her presence equally as sad. They would do nothing but sit in silence and wait for them to return.

News had spread about a war. They had made it to the mountain. Now it was up to them to protect it. She hoped he could protect himself.

Her mother stopped writing her letters after he had left, there was no reason to talk if there was no possibility of an heir.

A letter came. The royal seal on the front. She knew what it had meant. He promised to come back to her. She didn't open the letter until she was one bottle in.

 _"He died fighting."_

She traveled to the mountain for his funeral. Still drunk from the night before, she collapsed on his grave. No one tried to pull her off.

She hadn't been sober in days. Her bloodshot eyes rested on the ceiling as she took swigs of whiskey from the bottle. She gave up wine. She knew how much he hated it when she drank.


	2. Chapter 3

The whiskey burned her throat. Chasing her sorrows with the burn of alcohol that didn't feel as bad as the scars she had been left. She thought back to the time he had promised to come back, with that memory she let the rest of the bottle pour down her throat.

A rumor, a soft murmur from those around her that the line of Durin endured. She had known the truth, although she kept it to herself.

The rumors began getting more and more confusing, a small company of dwarves had been seen traveling through the Misty Mountains. Merchants, she had told her maid, only simple merchants.

It had been two years today. He had left her with a promise and a will to survive and he had kept neither.

She was angry, how could he do this to her? How could he leave her in this bloody world with no one but herself? How could he be so selfish? She clutched the tunic that smelled of him closer to her chest as she soaked it with her tears. The maids had given up on comforting her.

A message came for her. Oh how she hated messages now. Her family had gone into hiding, they would not say where. Her family guard had personally delivered it, refusing to let anyone else touch it. Someone wanted her dead.

The letter, the accursed letter that she had held onto, not telling a soul of its existence, was a fake. Someone had sent her a fabricated letter. Why? She did not know. His mother tripled the guard around her.

Another rumor, a more believable rumor. The line of Durin. They had been seen traveling towards the Blue Mountains. She readied herself for the news, for the news from his brother and his Uncle. "He died in battle" she readied herself for this phrase. She prepared herself for more heartbreak.

She fiddled with the ring on her finger. The sapphire gem set in a gold band. He had crafted it himself, as Dwarvish tradition required. It was simple, yet it fit her perfectly.

Did she have hope? Maybe in the slightest, but she did not let it sway her. She had been toyed with like a mouse by a cat. In the midst of her bitterness towards those who had wanted her dead, a faint ray of hope shined out of her.

Those who wanted her dead had come for her today. The assassin dressed as a maid, and served her supper. The poison coursed through her body. Although painful, it was curable. She writhed and wriggled until her real maid came in. You would have thought an assassin would have an incurable poison. The fake maid was executed that day.

She awaited anxiously. Sobering up as much as she could, she waited for the real news. Could he possibly be alive? The bitter coldness of her whiskey soaked heart had begun to wring out. Hope had changed her.

The company of his mother had grown less mournful, and they actually spoke about things other than the weather. The possibility they were still alive had changed them both.

A band of dwarves, decorated in armor and in pride, had been seen merely miles away from the Blue Mountains. Her maid had rushed into her room, throwing open the curtains and pulling out her best dress. He was on his way home.

The dress had barely fit her, it hung loosely on her shoulders. She definitely had been more plump when she had worn it last. The small golden crown sat upon her curly head, making her seem all the more put together. Inside, she was shrieking. Is he alive? Could he possibly be alive?

They awaited at the gates. Her body shook nervously, his mother took her arm. They are alive, I can feel it, she whispered to her. The calming words had sent chills down her spine. _He was alive_.

The caravan could be spotted across the way, leading up to the gate. Oh how she wanted to sprint to him, how she wanted to run into his arms and tackle him to the ground, showering him in kisses and scolding him for being reckless. She longed for his laugh, the light chuckle that had brought her so much happiness. She longed for his chocolate brown eyes, staring into hers and reading her like a book. She longed for him.

They were so close, she could almost taste his lips on hers. She could feel his body pressed against hers. She could feel him near.

They came over the hill. She spotted him amongst the crowd of cheery dwarves excited to be home. They had made it. All of them, alive. Without another thought, she dropped all traditions and customs and her legs exploded into a run. Kili! she screamed, her voice cracking under the tears in her eyes. Kili! He dropped everything he was carrying with no regrets, and scooped her up into his arms. He was finally home.

By mahal, I thought you were dead, she whispered as tears ran down her cheeks and she planted kisses all over him. He wrapped her as tight as he could in his arms. I thought you were dead, she whispered again.

Scars littered his body. The battle had been difficult. The limp in his leg would always remind him of that.

He only shed a single tear when she told him about their baby. She told him of her family, how they were in hiding, how someone wanted her dead. His fists slammed the table as she told him about the fake maid. She kissed him again, saying they hadn't come back for her. They hadn't come back for her yet, he replied.

They were to travel back to the mountain. She was to see the halls of his family. She was to be the true princess of Erebor.

He didn't like the idea of her traveling with an assassin on her heels. She told him she hadn't liked the idea of the dragon, but that didn't stop him. He rolled his eyes and kissed her gently. There was no way she was to leave his side now.

They had come for her on the road. The assassins with the curable poison, this time they had knives. They were expecting to take out a small company of guards, little did they know that they had a quarter of the royal guard to deal with.

She had made it to Erebor, and finally with freedom from her killers, her family could come out of hiding. The kingdom was grander than she had expected. Their new quarters were twice as magnificent as the ones in the Blue Mountains. She decided she could live quite comfortably here.

The king had been crowned, and with a child on the way, she celebrated her three year marriage with the love of her life. She had found her home in his halls, and he had found his home in her heart.


	3. Chapter 4

**Imagine explaining the song Anaconda to the company.**

You had given Fili and Kili your phone to play with while you tried to clean up the kitchen after the dwarves had laid seige on it. They had apppeared the night before, and without even asking, tore through everything in your pantry. You had begun to understand how Bilbo had felt.

"Ana-con-da?" Fili sounded out with a furrowed brow. "What does that mean?"

"What are you looking at?" Your heart pounded, if they were talking about what you thought they were talking about, then it would be awful to explain that.

"We touched the square with the music note on it, and the first on the list is ana-con-da." Kili replied with a troubled look. The company had perked up at the exchange, and you slapped your hand to your forehead. Out of everything in this good earth, why did they have to find that?

"Oh, it's a song, don't worry about it." You tried to change the subject.

"A song?" Bilbo chimed in from next to the brothers.

"Yes, a song." You turned away as quick as you could.

"Can we hear it?" Fili asked.

"Uhm, I'm not sure if you want to hear it." I said, hoping to lure them away from that. "Did anyone text me?"

"I want to hear it. Please y/n." Kili looked over at you with puppy dog eyes. At this, you rolled your eyes but internally cracked.

"Fine." You snatched the aux cord from the speakers on the counter and plugged it into your phone. Hesistantly, and not before you let out a long sigh, you clicked on the song Anaconda by Nicki Minaj.

 _Boy toy named troy used to live in Detroit,_

 _Big dope dealer money he was getting some coins_

 _Was in shoot outs with the law but he live in a palace_

 _Bought me Alexander McQueen he was keeping me stylish._

You switched the power off on the speakers almost instantly after the first verse.

"There, are you happy?"

"No we want to listen to more!" Ori and Nori chimed in agreement. You rolled your eyes as everyone else nodded. You knew you would have to answer some embarassing questions at the end. Switching back on the power to the speakers, the company began to dance and sway to the beat.

 _Let him eat it with his grills and he tellin' me to chill_

 _And he telling me it's real, that he love my sex appeal_

 _Say he don't like 'em boney, he want something he can grab_

 _So I pulled up in the Jag, and I hit him with the jab like_

 _Dun-d-d-dun-dun-d-d-dun-dun_

 _My anaconda don't, my anaconda don't_

 _My anaconda don't want none unless you got buns, hun_

 _Oh my gosh, look at her butt_

 _Oh my gosh, look at her butt_

You switched off the power even faster than last time.

"Are you happy _now?_ " As you spoke, they stood there completely unaware of what they had just heard. You waited for the round of questions.

"Is this song...about her... _backside?_ " Thorin broke the silence with a concerned look on his face.

"Yes, yes it is." I replied as the red creeped up into my cheeks.

"I will never understand the obsession you people have with women's backsides." Thorin replied, looking very confused.

"What like you've never admired a woman's backside, Thorin?" Fili piped up, trying not to laugh.

"Maybe I have, at least I don't write songs about them." He snapped back.

"What does it mean when the man says 'my anaconda'?" Ori's gentle voice came out of the crowd of confused dwarves. This was the question you had been anticipating.

"Well...uhm..." You froze for a moment, competely at a loss for words. "He's pretty much saying that he doesn't want her unless she has a big...backside."

"Well, that's completely daft!" Kili interrupted. "Why would you only want to marry a woman for her bottom?"

"I don't think he's talking about marriage, Kee." Fili nudged him with his elbow, and a look of complete horror struck his face.

"I will never understand the obsession with backsides in this world." Thorin said once more.


	4. Chapter 5

Imagine teaching the company how to play beer pong in Bagend!

Somehow, in some god awful way, you had gotten yourself into the situation of teaching the dwarves how to play beer pong. Although, you didn't have red solo cups or a ping pong ball, you made do with what you could find around Bag End. All the chairs, at Bilbo's consent, had been cautiously placed outside of the dining room. The long table, that was able to fit all 13 dwarves, yourself, and Gandalf was now set up with six tankards on each side, and two evenly split teams. Team dragon slayers, they called themselves, consisted of Fili and Kili. Team Orc Hunters, the other team named themselves, consisted of you and Thorin. Only with much encouragement from Fili and Kili, and a slight nudge from you did Thorin agree to play. He wasted no breath grumbling and complaining about how he "wasn't going to enjoy this." Setting up the game had been the easy part, explaining the rules would be the challenge.

"So." Fili stood next to you with his hands on his hips. "How in the world do we play this game?"

"It's simple really, the goal is to get the other team out by throwing the ball into their cups." You held up the small wooden ball you had found, a small child's toy Bilbo had told you. It was the closest thing to a ping pong ball. "When the ball lands in the cup, the other team has to drink it. They get to choose who drinks."

"Seems easy enough." Kili replied from across the table with a shrug of his shoulders. He readied his arm like a pitcher ready to throw a fast ball.

"Wait! Not like that!" He stopped mid-throw as you yelled. "You lightly toss it, like this." You held your arm up like you were shooting a basketball, the ball was launched from your hand into the rim of the tankard. All eyes were on you as you scanned the room to signal that's how it was done.

"Is that it?" Thorin, from team Orc Hunters, piped up. "That doesn't seem very difficult."

"It isn't a very difficult game, but there's a couple of rules I should go over first." You stood in the middle of the room, explaining all the rules you could possibly think of for the game. On second thought, maybe it was difficult. You weren't a complete expert on the game, but you definitely not a beginner.

"Who goes first?" Ori chimed in. Sitting quietly on the sidelines with the rest of the dwarves.

"That is decided by a face off." You replied, and round of "oooohs" sounded from everyone. "Thorin, would you like me to do the honors?"

"By all means. Go right ahead." He gestured his hand towards the table.

"Who wants to go against me? Fili? Kili?" They glanced at each other, and Fili stepped forward.

"I will accept your challenge." He said with a smirk. You smiled back and cheeky grin. You couldn't believe this was happening to you.

"Now, we have to shoot the balls into the tankards, but we have to make eye contact the whole time." You explained, setting your feet in the right position.

"The _whole time?_ " He groaned, looking back at Kili who was giggling ferociously.

"Yes, the whole time Fili." You confirmed, readying your throwing arm. "Are you ready?" He nodded slightly, rolling the ball between his hands.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Y/N." He readied his arm for the face off.

"1,2,3." You said in unison, releasing the balls at the same moment. Yours soared through the air, right past the cups and onto the floor. Fili's landed straight in the middle of the tankard. Pumping his fists in the air in a "in your face", kind of way, you retrieved the ball from the cup.

"And so the game begins."

The tension had been growing around you. One tankard left on each side. The ale had been getting to you, making your head fuzzy and your palms sweaty. Maybe that was because of the intensity of the dwarves around you.

"Come on Y/N!" Gloin shouted behind you as you set your feet on the ground for your shot. "I bet 5 gold on team Orc Hunters, you better not let me down!" The bets had been flying earlier, as soon as the rest of the dwarves had gotten a hang of the game. Even Thorin and Dwalin seemed to be enjoying themselves. Bilbo, sat in the corner, behind the dwarves with a slight smile on his lips, but looking slightly left out.

"Wait! Wait!" You called over the shouts of the dwarves cheering you on. "I want Bilbo to take this shot for me."

"What?" Half of the dwarves replied, and the other half looked at you with confusion.

"There's this thing called a celebrity shot, where some one else takes your shot for you." You explained more. They nodded in understanding, as Bilbo stood from his seat.

"I-I don't think that's a great idea." He stuttered. He clutched to his cup of tea a little it tighter.

"Bilbo! I already called you! I can't take it back now!" You tried to convince him. He sighed, and stood for a moment, as if he were weighing the risks. Finally, he shrugged.

"Alright fine, one time." He took the ball from your hand, and with hesitation set his feet before the table. Behind him, the bets had started flying again.

"I'm betting on Bilbo!" One shouted,

"I'm betting on team Dragon Slayer still!" Another voice mixed in.

"I'm betting on Bilbo." Thorin's deep voice rolled out over us. Everyone became silent, as he gave him a reassuring smile. Even more pressured, Bilbo turned back around to face his challenge, the single tankard. With a deep breath, and one and hand behind his back, the ball flew from his small hand into the air. Everyone sucked in a deep breath in as the small wooden ball soared. The tension could be cut with a knife. The faces of the dwarves all with their mouths in O shapes, followed the ball from the middle of the air to the very bottom of the cup. A moment of silence, awestruck, complete silence, before the explosion of "OOOOOOH'S!" from the dwarves. Bilbo, being tossed around in congratulations, had a huge smile plastered across his face. Fili and Kili stood at the other side of the table, still awestruck. Once everyone had calmed down slightly, Fili spoke up from the other side.

"I want rematch!" He yelled, over the dwarves who were still whooping and hollering.

"A rematch you say?" Thorin replied, his hands on his hips. "Seems fair enough." You stepped back from the table, letting a different dwarf take your place. Looking around at everything, you still couldn't believe you had gotten yourself into this situation.


	5. Chapter 6

**Request for a fic with Thorin, "One day I hope you're as happy as you're pretending to be"**

The King of Erebor sat in his plump arm chair, his eyes boring into the fire place. The celebratory ball was tonight. All of the royal families from the seven kingdoms were to be there. He looked himself in the mirror, feeling and looking more like his father than he did himself. The heavy crown sat upon his head, weighing even his thoughts down. With a deep sigh, he turned his heels to walk through the door. The newly refound Erebor would be missing their king.

The room had been filled with food, music, laughter, dancing, and the overall congratulation of the company of Thorin Oakenshield. The king sat in his grand chair, behind the royal table, which was seated high above everyone else. His judging glare sat behind two thick brows. He was not happy, not happy at all. His eyes followed a familiar figure about the room. She had walked off the dance floor, just finishing her dance with his oldest nephew. Thorin felt the jealousy flame up in his chest, he couldn't blame Fili though, he had no idea the extent of his feelings for the young dwarrowdam. Her deep blue dress had made her dark hair stand out even more. The gold ribbons tied up half her hair, and the rest was let down to free flow against her back. Though her body was littered with scars from battle, he still thought her beautiful. In fact, he had always thought her to be one of the most beautiful dwarrowdams he had ever laid his eyes on. When she had volunteered to accompany the quest to reclaim Erebor, he was not only shocked, but very impressed. Someone of such admirability would normally have been shallow, and conceded. But he had been proven wrong by her acts of pure selflessness. He had been surprised at how well she looked tonight as well, for a couple days ago she was informed of her parents death in Ered Luin. Their house on the outskirts of the mountain had been raided by orcs. They had died while she was on the quest, and Thorin could not forgive himself for keeping her from her family, but if he had not she would be dead. She fit in seamlessly as she bounced around, aimlessly making new acquaintances. He admired that about her, how she could make a new friend where ever she went. Thorin, on the other hand, had a habit of making enemies where he went. He sat alone at his royal table, his nephews off stirring up trouble as they always did, and his sister off socializing with the other dwarrowdams.

"My lord?" A familiar voice tore him away from his thoughts on the young dwarf woman. Balin, the chief adviser, and Thorin's long time friend stood next to his chair.

"Balin! How delighted I am to see a familiar face. Please sit." Thorin gestured to the empty chair next to him, so that maybe his thoughts would stray from the woman in his heart.

"Thank you my lord." Balin replied as he sat in the chair.

"You know how I feel about you calling me that, Balin." Thorin smiled from behind his cup of wine.

"Yes, yes. Sorry, Thorin. It just seemed so fitting." Balin fidgeted with his hands a bit before resting them on the arm rests. There was a moment of silence, while the both of them watched the crowd of dwarves in front of them. "Have you told her yet, laddie?"

"I didn't think it was in my best interest Balin, nor hers." Thorin replied, leaning back in his chair. "She would be a better fit for one of my nephews, or perhaps Dain's son, I know he is in need of a wife."

"She's nearly 50 years older than Fili. And we both know how unagreeable Dolgan can be." Thorin silently agreed with this, but made no response. There was another moment of silence. "You need to tell her Thorin."

"My duty is to this mountain, Balin, to this kingdom. I have no time for affairs outside of kin and my dearest friends." Thorin took another sip of his wine, this time pausing before he put down his glass. "Besides, I doubt she would return the same feelings for me."

"You don't know-" A loud cheerful voice interrupted Balin before he could finish.

"Uncle!" The youngest nephew came bounding up the steps to the royal table, his cheeks rosy with glee and a youthful smile across his face. "You're not going to be a bump on a log all night, are you?"

"I will be a bump on a log and a stick in the mud as long as I want to, Kili." Thorin replied, smug with his clever comment.

"Oh come on, Uncle!" The oldest nephew came up behind his brother. "It's a celebration! I bet any one of these dwarf women would join in you in a dance if you offered!" They both nodded in agreement as they stared at their uncle, who was staring off into the crowd. Thorin's eyes rested on the young dwarf woman, and he wanted nothing more than to run to her and tell her everything that he thought about her. But societal convention had rendered him helpless to his wants.

"Uncle, you're going to have to tell her eventually." Kili's voice had made him rip his gaze away from her. His eyes rested on his youngest nephew. "You can't just gawk at her from far away anymore, Uncle."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Thorin said from behind his wine.

"Even a _troll_ could figure it out Uncle, you two have been swooning over each other since day one!" Fili answered. Thorin's eyes snapped to Balin, who mouthed "I didn't tell them" and raised his hands in defense.

"Ask her to dance uncle!" Kili suggested, his voice full of excitement.

"Fili already had that covered earlier." Thorin growled, the tiniest bit jealous of his nephew.

"I only did that because Dolgan was persistently flirting with her." Fili defended himself. "Uncle, just dance with her once!" The deep blue dress had made her way up to the royal table, bowing her head as she stood next to the brothers.

"My lords." She looked even more beautiful up close, Thorin noted, his eyes grazing over her figure. "Did I interrupt something? I'm sorry, my lords."

"We were just talking about how we needed to get Uncle up and out of this chair." Fili rounded the table to stand next to his uncle. "Before the cobwebs start appearing on him."

"So, Ranora, why don't you and my Uncle go dance?" Kili asked, but it wasn't really a question. Before either of them could reject fully, they had been pushed to the dance floor.

"I guess we must humor them." She said, adjusting her dress.

"I guess we must." Thorin placed his hand on the curve of her waist, and the other in her hand. With a small smile she stepped closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. His movements were rough and machine like. She was graceful, her body swaying like the ocean with each step. Their eyes met, only for a moment, and he saw the undeniable pain. The suffering that hung to her eyes like a chandelier in a small room. She was swimming in her own sorrow. Her lips curved up into a smile and she snapped her eyes away. He pulled her closer, unaware that all eyes in the room were on them. Time felt slow, as if their bodies moving together had stopped time completely. He took in her scent, lavender and vanilla, something he had only gotten small whiffs of over the past year. Her body close to his felt natural, it felt normal, like they were two shapes cut from the same fabric. He felt her grasp him tighter, as the song slowly faded. He didn't want to let go, he wanted to stay there forever, holding his beloved in his arms where she was supposed to be. She pulled away, her eyes still filled with suffering, but her lips curled into a smile.

"Thank you for this dance, my lord." She curtsied politely.

"Thorin, just call me Thorin. And the pleasure is all mine, my lady." He took her small hand and laid a gentle kiss on it. "Ranora?"

"Yes my lo- Thorin?" She held her hands behind her back.

"One day, I hope you're as happy as you're pretending to be." She nodded, and turned away, kicking himself for how heartless he sounded. It was meant to sound reassuring, like he wanted her to be happy, instead he had outed her in front if himself. He made his way back to his royal chair at his table, and watched as she left the room with silent tears down her cheeks.

He sat in his plump armchair once more. Visions of her wouldn't leave his head. The way she smiled, the way she laughed with the random aquaitences she had made, the silent tears that left her eyes as she walked out of the room. He still felt his hands on her, the way his hand had perfectly outlined her waist, the way his hand fit seamlessly into hers. Without another thought, he hopped up out of his armchair and sprinted out of his room. He ignored the guards calling after him as he ran down the steps as fast as he could. Each member of the company had gotten their own living chambers beneath the royal wing, and that's where he was headed. Her chambers were at the very end of the hallway. He sprinted past the maids, who dropped everything they were doing to curtsy to their sprinting king. Rounding the corner to the hallway, he didn't think he had ever ran that fast in his life. His heart pounded in his chest like a hammer on an anvil. Visions of her jumped around in his brain, her name over and over again until he finally had to say it out loud. The thought of her had made a whole new kind of excitement rattle around in his brain, he had never felt like this before, he had never felt so alive. Reaching her door, he pounded heavily on it.

"Oh, my lord!" Her frightened maid curtsied as he barged his way in.

"Is she here? Where is she?" His voice was impatient, and harsh.

"She's readying for bed, my lord." He almost barged into the bed chambers, but the annoyed maid stopped him. "No, my lord. Let me fetch her, to keep at least some of her decency." He irriattedly nodded, and waited in her living room. Keeping his hands in front of him, he noticed that he was only wearing a tunic and trousers. Not very kingly, but enough to complete his task. A few moments after the maid went to fetch her, he heard a loud "WHAT?" He chuckled to himself as he imagined her throwing whatever she had laying next to her on. His heart throbbed at the thought of seeing her, and telling her how he felt. He would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid. Who would have thought, that one of the bravest warriors would be afraid of his own feelings. He scoffed at this, not understanding anything about it. Moments later, the door to her bedroom slowly opened.

"My lord." She bowed her head slowly. Her eyes were puffy and red, like she had been crying moments before she came out.

"Thorin, please, just call me Thorin." Her eyes stuck to the ground.

"Yes my l- Thorin." She stuttered. There was a moment of awkward silence.

"You looked lovely tonight, my lady." He complimented her, not knowing what else to say. He kicked himself internally for not practicing this moment, even with himself. He had no idea what he was going to say.

"Thank you, Thorin." She paused for a moment to look up at him. "Is that all you came here to say?"

"No, I- Ra-" He stuttered out, his cheeks becoming hot with embarrassment. He stepped closer to her, trying to find the words. "I wanted to apologize. For what I said at the feast."

"Your apology is accepted." She looked at him with the same pain in her eyes as before.

"Ranora, I care for you." He blurted out, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.

"I care for you too, Thorin. You led this company, and I would be lying if I said I did not care for you like one should care for their leader." She nodded her head, and avoided all eye contact with him.

"Ranora..." He stepped forward, closing in the space between them. Her name on his lips felt normal, like he was supposed to say it, and he could get used to saying it over and over again. She paused for a moment, twiddling her thumbs together. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, he knew she was going to reject him, he knew she wouldn't have him. Face to face with the woman he loved, feeling her hot breath on his face, sensing that everything was right in the world when they were together, he leaned in closer. His lips were so close to hers, and a smile slowly spread across her pale pink lips. A real smile, not the fake ones she had been producing all night. Their bodies met once more, like two pieces being put back together. His lips pressed to hers, in a fit of fiery passion. Their hearts connected, as their passion swirled around each other. The weight of the world seemed to lift off his shoulders as his lips swiveled with hers, their hearts colliding as one. He pulled away, his eyes wide with joy and embarrassment in the fact that he had been so weak.

"Forgive me..." He whispered, looking past her into the furthest corner of the room.

"My lo- Thorin." She replied, making him look her in the eyes. "I can't tell you how long I've wanted you to do that." She smiled again, biting her lip to hide it. Without another word, he filled the space between them once more. Her name repeated in his mind over and over again, oh how he could get used to saying that name.


	6. Chapter 7

**Our siblings are best friends and we keep awkwardly meeting au**

 **Request: I didn't actually get a request from anyone, but I have a list of Au's I've been itching to write and my inbox was empty.**

 **Pairings: FilixOC**

 **Words: 5889 (I got a little carried away)**

 **A/N: So, after I edited this story I realized I probably should've had her little sister named Tauriel but oh well**

Today wasn't different than any other. Arianna sat in the back as she always did, her head bobbing up and down, signifying she was in fact drifting in and out of sleep. It didn't help that Ms. Possolo's voice was robotic and lacked any emotion. She tried to pay attention, by God did she try, but every so often she would find herself nodding off in the back. And every so often she would find drool running down the corner of her mouth, and hoped that no one would see. The guy that sat in front of her would give her desk a warning kick if Ms. Possolo got close enough to see her sleeping, and for this she was eternally grateful. It was an unspoken bond between them. A swift kick shook her desk again today, and her head shot up almost immediately.

"Thanks." She whispered to him.

"Anytime." He replied. She admired the muscles of his back, practically ripping through his shirt. _You'd think that he would find shirts that actually fit him._ She thought to herself before jotting down a few notes from the board. His shoulder length blonde hair was sprawled across his back, and when he turned around to pass papers back, she saw the light stubble on his face. Surprisingly, she hadn't ever noticed this before. Maybe she was too busy being asleep or in the process of waking up to notice the fact that the boy in front of her was not actually a boy and was really a man. And now she was too busy thinking of his back muscles to realize that her heart was throbbing as he looked her in the eyes.

* * *

"Kili's birthday party is tonight." Isabelle said right as she sat down in the passenger seat, which caused the driver to groan excessively long.

"That means I have to take you, right?"

"Yep."

"It's probably far away isn't it."

"Yep."

"And let me guess, it's somewhere expensive."

"Not really, I mean his uncle rented out all of Ultrazone, so I don't think we have to pay." Isabelle's phone sat two inches away from her nose and was vibrating like crazy.

"Who is texting you so much?"

"It's Tanya, she's trying to figure out what she's going to wear."

"I thought you were the one who had a crush on Kili, why is she so worried about it?" She glanced over at her blushing baby sister.

"She's worried because Kyle is going to be there. And Kili's older brother will be there too."

"Isn't he a little... _old_ for her to be worried."

"He's so dreamy, Ri." She clutched her phone to her chest and sighed deeply. " _Sooo_ dreamy."

"Hey! Hey! Wrong brother!" She snapped her fingers in Isabelle's face while laughing. Everyone had heard of the Durin's. How they were stinkin' rich because of their uncle. Fili drove a brand spankin' new Mercedes, and there was no doubt that Kili would get the same or maybe even better when he was old enough for a car. Someone had said that their house was at least the size of three regular sized houses put together. Someone also said that their uncle installed a shark tank in the house and owned two tiger sharks, but that one was less believable. Their uncle was the owner of Lonely Mountain Mining Co. A multi million dollar company that only continued to grow. Her thoughts glided to the muscular blonde in her trig class. He dressed like a normal person, rather plainly actually. Not something too spectacular. You would think he would dress the part of an heir to a multi million dollar inheritance. As soon as they got home, Arianna rushed upstairs for her routine after school nap.

"Isabelle! Are you ready yet?!" Arianna called from downstairs. "We're going to be late! It's at least a half hour from here!"

"I'm coming!" The footsteps down the stairs proved this to be true. "I don't care about being late Ri, you know me."

"Yes, and I know how without me you would be two hours late to everything you do, now out the door and maybe we'll have time for Starbucks." Isabelle squealed in excitement at this and headed towards the car.

* * *

"Hey, aren't you in my trig class?" Arianna awkwardly balanced her heavy books and the coffee she was holding as she spoke to the familiar blonde haired boy that sat in front of her.

"Oh, hey! Arianna right? Or should I say sleeping beauty. I'm Fili." He replied calmly. His blue eyes pierced her harder than they should have when he turned around. She never remembered them being as striking as they were now. "What brings you to my brother's birthday party?"

"My sister is friends with him, and my mom is working so I'm stuck with driving her every where." Arianna laughed nervously. Hearing the rumors of the Durins, she had always expected him to be a jerk, you know the "my uncle is rich enough to sue you for touching me" kind of jerk. But he seemed surprisingly nice.

"What about your dad?" He asked. Arianna shifted uncomfortably. Of course he wouldn't know. How could he? He'd only moved to Ormont this year and her dad had walked out more than 5 years ago.

"Oh... Umm. He doesn't live with us anymore." She avoided his soft gaze.

"Oh my gosh." He started blushing furiously. "I'm so sorry, I seriously had no idea I never would have asked if I knew."

"Oh, no don't worry about it." She laughed anxiously, still avoiding his eyes. "You didn't know." They sat in silence for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Would you like to sit down some where?"

"Are you not going to play?"

"Oh, no. Laser tag has never really been my thing." He shrugged and started towards the vacant table behind them. "Besides, I would wreck everyone in that arena. I can't go embarrassing my brother at his own birthday party." They laughed together as she accidentally slammed the books on the table. He pulled out the chair in front of him and gestured for her to sit down. Furrowing her brows, and trying to kill the butterflies in her stomach, she sat and watched as he pulled out own plastic chair. She had hoped that maybe she could get a little bit of homework done as she waited for Isabelle, but with him next to her that idea floated further and further away.

"I seriously cannot stand trig anymore." Arianna heavily sighed as she slumped in her chair, dreading the homework she had to do.

"Really? I think it's pretty easy." Fili fiddled with the corner of the book, hiding the smile on his face.

"Easy for you to say." She rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"But then again, I can stay awake for longer than 10 minutes in that class."

"Have you heard Ms. Possolo's voice?!" She replied between giggles. He flipped open the book to the marked page.

"I'll help you then." He said, his eyes gleaming in the light. Reluctantly, but with no complaints, Arianna slid closer to him, her heart inside her throat.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Kili! Happy birthday to yooooooou!" The crowd of kids sang horrendously out of tune. Fili and Arianna stood next to each other on the outside of the room, both awkwardly humming along. Kili wildly blew out the candles, his smile never fading. As his mother cut the cake, a large burly man came over to them.

"Fili, why didn't you go laser tagging, I thought you loved laser tag?" The tall man asked, slightly concerned.

"I didn't feel like it uncle." He turned to hide his hot face, and his uncle immediately picked up on the signal. He turned to Arianna.

"I don't believe we have met?" His voice was soft and slow, it had a calming effect but Arianna couldn't imagine how frightening it could be when he was angry.

"I'm Arianna." She stuck her hand out for a hearty handshake. "You must be Mr. Durin."

"Please, call me Thorin." He smiled with his reply. He was at least a full head taller than Fili, and two heads taller than Arianna. His long black hair was speckled with silver and a full beard rested on his chin. He dressed in a light blue dress shirt and slacks, office clothes. "You're not a parent, I hope."

"Uncle, really?" Fili interjected in the conversation.

"No, I'm Isabelle's older sister." Arianna laughed.

"Ah, Isabelle." Thorin repeated. "She's a very nice girl."

"I would hope so, or else I'd have to have a stern talking with her." She gazed at her younger sister. She was tall for her age, but was almost exactly like their mother. Long black hair, big eyes, and an even bigger heart.

"Are you sure you're not a parent?" Thorin laughed. Fili shot his uncle a warning glare. Arianna blushed slightly, avoiding eye contact with either one of the Durins.

* * *

Arianna had spent the rest of the night gushing over the pretty blonde. Silently kicking herself for not getting his number or even asking if he wanted to hang out in the future. By the time she was finished relaying every detail to her best friend Tauriel, her phone had stuck to her face leaving indents.

"Tauriel, you don't understand."

"I don't?"

"He's _nice_. All those rumors about him being a complete dick were totally untrue." Arianna twirled her dark hair through her fingers. "He was so polite, he even pulled out my chair for me. I mean _who_ does that anymore?!"

"Ooooh. A gentleman!" Tauriel squealed through the phone. Her obvious excitement about the situation could be heard from both ends. For months now, Tauriel had been pushing for Arianna to at least talk to boys. Even after repeatedly refusing, Tauriel had some how used her magical powers to convince Calvin Page to ask her to Winter Formal. Calvin was nice, but really just not her type. He was average size, his dark hair swallowing what color he had left in his skin making him ungodly pale. Arianna had found herself picking apart every little detail of his appearance that night, which made for a very awkward date.

"Should I talk to him on Monday?"

" _Should_ you? I don't know, Ri, _should_ you get dressed for school Monday?" Tauriel's sarcasm is what Arianna had loved about her, even when they were children.

"Is that a yes then?" Arianna sat up in her bed as she heard the front door swing open, her mother was home.

"You'd be stupid not to sweetie."

"I have to go, Tauriel. I'll see you tomorrow?" She jumped out of bed and rushed to her slippers.

"7 am sharp." Arianna could hear the eye roll in her voice, and before they hung up she slipped in an "I love you."

"Arianna?" A soft whisper from the doorway had made her jump.

"Geez mom! You scared me!" Arianna's mother was finely aged. The lines framing her eyes had signified that she had smiled a lot through her life. Her dark hair had been tied up in it's normal bun.

"Sorry, Ri. Didn't mean to." She practically glided across the room. Arianna had always admired that fact about her mother, that no matter what she was wearing (in this case, light blue hospital scrubs) she could make it look elegant.

"How was the party? Did you get asked if you were Isabelle's mom again?" She plopped down face first on the bed next to her daughter as she spoke.

"Yes, but only twice this time." Arianna picked up the magazine next to her and started flipping through the pages. "Which is better than the average 4."

"I swear, they're going to start thinking that you're lying and I'm not real." They both laughed. "I'm sorry, honey."

"Mom, don't even worry about it. You have to work, and I really didn't mind it too much." Arianna hid her viciously blushing face behind the People magazine.

"And what is that supposed to mean? You _didn't mind it much?_ " Her mother propped herself up on her elbows, staring at her oldest daughter. "Was Kili's older brother there?"

"How did you know he had an older brother?"

"Only because Isabelle talks about how 'dreamy' he is. Also because after that accident in the mines, their mother and uncle had come to the hospital to personally thank the staff. Then she friended me on Facebook, I swear that woman does not stop taking pictures." Her mother tapped on her leg in excitement. "What happened? Tell me!"

"Nothing mom! We just talked." She hid her blushing face as she spoke. Ever since she was little, her mother had always been one of her best friends, someone she could talk to and trust with any secret. Her mother had never pried for information about her life, instead she had waited until Arianna or Isabelle was ready to share, making their relationships even stronger.

"If he is half as cute as his uncle, then we are going to have a problem." Her mom gave her that evil smirk, just waiting for a reaction.

"Mom!" Arianna threw the magazine at her mother. They laughed and gushed together about the Durin boys until they both headed to bed.

* * *

"How do I look?" Arianna nervously circled in front of the mirror.

"You look beautiful as you always do honey." Her mom stood in the doorway, sipping coffee still in her pjs.

"Ugh, you're supposed to say things like that. If you didn't you'd be insulting half your DNA."

"If I was, I'd insulting the other half." Her mother spoke into her coffee. They laughed together again before Isabelle's voice came crashing in.

"What's so funny?" She called, disappointed about missing all the fun.

"Nothing, sweetie." Her mother replied, stroking her head.

"Are you all dressed up to see _Fili,_ Arianna?" Isabelle said, crossing her arms knowingly over her chest.

"Maybe..."

"You two spent a lot of time together, at Kili's party." Isabelle rocked back on her heels.

"What was I supposed to do?! Hang out with you?!" She laughed as she slid on her favorite boots, knee high and brown, matching the thigh high socks she wore. "Come on, we're going to be late."

"Drive safe! I love you both!" Her mother called after them, as they rushed through the front door.

"Love you too mom!" They said almost perfectly in sync like they did every morning.

* * *

Fili had invited her to go out to lunch with him that day. It was rushed, because they only had an hour between classes. He had approached her as she stood with Jo at her locker, and Tauriel had given her the "you better say yes or I will" look. The inside of his car was even nicer than the outside, with heated leather seats and a lot of leg room. They laughed and joked, probably even more than they had at Kili's party.

"Lunch is on me." He had said, and with a scoff she refused to let him pay. After a few moments of bickering, she reluctantly gave in and let him pay with his gold master card. She tried to hide the widening of her eyes, but it was in vain. He didn't say anything, thankfully.

"Are you excited to graduate?" Arianna questioned after her first bite of sandwich.

"Who isn't?" He replied laughing.

"True, but I'm a little scared too."

"Why is that?" He took a bite as he waited for her reply.

"I-I guess it's just the fact that it's something different." She nervously stuttered.

"Is different bad?"

"No, not necessarily. It's just terrifying to me." She said, her nervous stutter gone completely.

"Why is it scary?" He said. Avoiding the question completely, she glanced at the time.

"We should be getting back."

"You're right. But this conversation isn't over." He pointed a finger at her. Once out the door of the sandwich shop, she looked closer at his car.

"How does this thing do in the snow?" She asked, running a finger along the passenger door.

"Not sure, we never got any down in Arizona. Is it that bad in Idaho?"

"Well, you're in for a real treat." She scoffed heavily as she got into the Mercedes.

* * *

"Ri?" Isabelle half whispered from the doorway of her room.

"Yeah Izzy?"

"Can you take me to the movies?"

"When?" Arianna groaned slightly.

"At 7:30." Arianna looked at her sister, her hair straightened, a little bit of make up on, and a nice red dress. And then she looked at the clock, 7:10.

"Who are you going with?" She smirked at her sister. Izzy blushed heavily.

"Kili..." She whispered.

"Is this a date?" Arianna whispered back.

"Maybe..." Izzy hid half her face behind the doorway. Arianna paused, internally struggling between telling her mother or not. One of the only things their mother was against was "dating" before high school, but how much damage could you really do in the eight grade?

"Give me five minutes." Arianna smiled at her sister.

"You're not going to tell mom right?"

"Of course not, Izzy." She replied with a warm smile. "You're secret is safe with me."

The parking lot of the movie theater was almost empty, making it nearly impossible for Arianna to find a good hiding spot. She had dropped Izzy off at the front, and then promptly made her way to the back of the parking lot. There was no way in hell she was going to let her go in there alone. Not that she didn't trust Kili, it just made her feel more secure about the situation. Plus, if her mother found out, she wouldn't be as much in the dog house as she would have if she didn't follow her. Kili had met her out front, dropped off by a black Mercedes. The Mercedes must have had the same idea as her, because almost immediately, they went to the very back of the parking lot a couple spots away from her. After Kili and Izzy made their way into the theater (Kili even held the door for her, something his brother probably taught him), the driver of the black Mercedes got out, the familiar blonde hair peaking over the top. Arianna followed and got out of her car as well, gaining Fili's attention.

"What're you doing here?" He called out pleasantly.

"Spying on my sister. What about you?" She made her way over to his car.

"There's no way I'm letting my baby brother go on his first date alone." He replied, clicking the button to lock his car. "He told me he was going to see 'Twilight' with his friends. That's when I knew."

"You just knew?"

"Well, what group of 13 year old boys goes to see Twilight?"

"Touche." She replied. "Well, the movie is going to start soon, and unfortunately, to be adequate spies we must follow our targets." Fili held his finger up to his ear like a secret service agent.

"Roger that." He replied in his best spy voice. They laughed together as they made their way up to the front. "Two for Twilight please?"

"Wait, two?" Before she could stop it, he handed his gold master card to the cashier. "Again, really?"

"Yes, again."

"Can't I pay for myself some time?" She crossed her arms over her chest, slightly annoyed but still flattered at the same time.

"Maybe some day, but not today." He winked at her, which sent her heart fluttering up into her throat. She was at least able to get away with paying for the drink while he bought the popcorn. The real challenge was going to be finding the two love birds in the theater. The mass of dark silhouettes and the fact the screen was completely black didn't help. But the two of them managed to find their targets and sit three rows behind them, watching their every move, like true spies. As Arianna's gaze was fixed on the two. She reached for the popcorn bag slowly. Instead of meeting the butter soaked popcorn, she was met with a hand. Her heart jumped. The butterflies in her stomach were set on yet another rampage, making her stomach churn and words hard to say. Snapping her hand back almost immediately, she blushed fiercely.

"Sorry." She leaned over to him. He smiled as a response. Their siblings awkwardly shifted towards each other, Kili slowly putting his arm around Izzy. Arianna poked Fili over and over again with her mouth wide open.

"I know!" He happily mouthed to her. She sat back in her seat, still watching but trying to figure out what was happening in the movie. After about five minutes, she gave up and continued watching her sister, who was leaning closer to Kili. Subconsciously, Arianna followed the movements of Isabelle, leaning to her right until she found the unfamiliar warmth of Fili. She jumped back slightly at the touch of their shoulders, and although he couldn't see it, the red crept up into her cheeks. Her heart fluttered, her hands shook, and her brain was all over the place. The thoughts ranging from " _oh my gosh he's so cute."_ to _"what the heck is wrong with me?!"_

In the midst of her raging thoughts, Fili had scooted closer to her. The only thing separating them now was the thin arm rest. And although she did not notice, and under his cool physique, his thoughts were flying just as fast as hers. The beautiful girl that he had heard slightly snoring the day before, who had always argued when he tried to pay for her, who still hadn't asked exactly _how_ rich his uncle was (unlike many people before her) sat beside him. Her dark hair tied up and out of her face, revealing the soft creamy skin and pretty jawline. His lips softened, and his body stiffened. Here, his little baby brother was on a date (probably about to kiss her from the looks of it) and he was up behind them, nervous to even look at the girl next to him. Fili cocked his head to the side as he watched Kili lean in closer to Isabelle, his hand reaching for Arianna next to him.

"Should we break it up?" She leaned into him, her shoulder touching his, her face mere inches from his. For a moment he couldn't speak. The words got caught up in his throat like a cough that you couldn't get rid of no matter how hard you tried.

"N-no." He finally stuttered out. She didn't seemed fazed by their closeness. "Leave them be, it's just a kiss... right?" There was a moment, where his eyes flicked to her lips. His heart got all tangled up in itself as her eyes rested on his lips. She leaned in a bit closer, her slow breath hot on his face.

"R-right." She stuttered, her eyes coming back up to meet his. "J-just a kiss." He reached for her. His hand finding hers in the dark theater, their fingers intertwining like ivy on a fence. All of the sudden, she broke eye contact. "W-we should go, the movie will be over soon."

"Yeah, you're right." He smiled at her, and led her out of the theater, their hands still intertwined.

* * *

"Did you spy on him like I asked?" His uncle sat at the kitchen table, his nose in a yellow file folder and even though it was 10:30 at night, a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Yeah, I did." Fili looked solemnly at the ground, remembering the failed attempt of kissing Arianna.

"Did something happen?"

"Oh, no not really. I mean he kissed her, but ya know. Nothing too crazy." He leaned on the marble counter, his hands resting on the cold remembering how warm she had made him feel.

"I meant with you, you don't seem alright." Thorin had out down his newspaper and rose to join his nephew. "Did something happen with you?" Fili paused for a moment, sighing heavily. He wanted to scream. For the first time in this stupid town he had felt welcome, like someone actually wanted to hang out with him for his personality and not the fact his uncle was rich. He didn't know how to react, what to do or what to say.

"Uncle Thorin, let's say, hypothetically, you _really_ liked a girl." His uncle nodded with a smile, which he ignored and continued. "She was great, and funny and warm."

"Warm?"

"Yes, anyways. You had no idea how she felt about you. If she just wanted to be friends, or if she thought of you more than that." He looked up at his uncle, his blue eyes full of confusion. "What would you do?"

"Well, ask her out for dinner of course." Thorin replied smoothly.

"What if she rejects me?" Fili nervously twisted his hands together, his heart racing at the thought of asking her out.

"Then she rejects you." Thorin patted a hand on his shoulder. "Arianna would be stupid not to say yes, Fee." He looked up at his uncle, and mentally prepared himself for the task ahead. He was going to ask Arianna out on a date.

* * *

"Tauriel, I'm such an idiot." Arianna sat on the edge of her bed while her friend sat on the floor, painting her toes. "I should have kissed him."

"There will be plenty of chances, Ri. Trust me." Tauriel blew on her bright pink toes in an attempt to speed the drying process along.

"He probably doesn't even like me." Arianna fell back onto the bed and covered her face with a pillow.

"The way he was drooling over you when he asked you out to lunch says otherwise." Tauriel replied, applying another layer of polish.

"What's going on in here, are we talking boys?" Arianna's mother popped into the room.

"More like Arianna is questioning practically her entire existence because of one boy, and I'm just trying to paint my nails, Mrs. Morris." Tauriel smiled at her mother.

"Tauriel, what did I say about calling me that?" Arianna's mother glided into the room and sat beside her daughter, stroking her head lightly. "It makes me feel old. I don't like feeling old."

"Sorry, Vicki" Tauriel replied, blowing on her toes again.

"Ri, I hate to do this to you again..." Her mother started, but before she could finish, Arianna interrupted her.

"Where do you need me to take her." She unburied her face from a pillow and gazed at her mother's softened face.

"Kili invited her over to his house tomorrow."

"What time?"

"She said around noon." Her mother had glanced down at her hands in shame. "You don't have to if you don't want to. You know that I would if I could, Ri, but I have to work. The hospital is short on staff again."

"Still?" Tauriel interrupted from the end of the bed. "It seems like you are always short on staff."

"Well, our ICU manager isn't the smartest of men and cannot figure out how to hire enough people to save his life." Her mother laughed. "Thank you very much, Ri, I'll give you gas money." Her mother kissed Arianna and Tauriel goodnight and went out the door.

"This is the perfect opportunity." Tauriel suddenly said, jumping up from her seat on the floor and heading towards the closet.

"For what?"

"You are going over to his house, you are probably going to see him." Tauriel rifled through all of her clothes, looking for a good outfit.

"And?" Arianna sighed heavily.

"Well you can't go over there looking like a homeless man, I'm going to find you the _perfect_ outfit." Tauriel held up the smallest and tightest skirt Arianna owned.

"I'm not going to a rave, Tauriel. Plus his family will be there." Arianna viciously shook her head.

"Okay, maybe not that, but something along the lines of cute."

"And comfortable." Arianna glanced at her friend who was practically dancing in excitement. At least someone was excited.

* * *

"Do you have his address?" Arianna sat at the kitchen table with her sister, who practically stuffed her lunch down her throat without swallowing.

"Of course I do." Izzy practically sang. Arianna couldn't help but feel nervous, and Tauriel didn't make it any better by making up scenarios while she was getting dressed. _"maybe he'll sweep you off your feet! And take you up to his 'chambers'!" "Maybe, he'll drive off with you in his Mercedes and you'll never come back again!" "What if he actually does kiss you this time?"_ She replayed the night at the theater over and over again until she had it engraved into her mind and she probably would be telling her grandchildren every small detail. Izzy had got up and put her dishes in the sink and fumbled with her hands nervously.

"So are you guys dating now?" Arianna asked, getting up from her spot at the table.

"I don't know, maybe. How do you know if you're dating someone?" Izzy replied, her words so fast it didn't sound like she was even breathing.

"Well, that's something the two of you have to decide." She rinsed her dishes off and turned to her baby sister, who was face first in her phone. "Are you ready to go?"

"Mhm." Izzy grabbed her small purse that fit her phone, her small wallet, and maybe a lip gloss or two. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Hey, how about we stop at Starbucks?" Arianna smiled as her younger sister squealed in excitement.

The Durin's house was not exactly close. So 25 minutes later, post Starbucks run, and ten miles of back country roads up the hill, they had arrived at the Durin's. The log cabin style mansion had fit in perfectly to the forest behind it, and both Isabelle and Arianna's jaws dropped in shock as they pulled up. There were two stories, the bottom had a porch that wrapped around the entire thing, making the back of the house have a spectacular viewing area, and the top had a deck from what looked like the master bedroom.

"Holy crap, Izzy." Arianna gasped at the sight. The house was high enough on the hill to over look the valley in which the town of Ormont lay. They had slowly made their way to the door, Arianna slightly curious as to what the inside looked like. Izzy knocked politely on the door as they waited for an answer, gazing around at the perfectly planted gardens which would no doubt be ruined this winter. The door opened, the hardwood floors gleaming as if someone had spread oil all over the floor, a familiar face showed up.

"Mr. Durin!" Arianna exclaimed.

"Ah, miss Arianna. Please! Both of you come in, it's cold outside for some reason." He ushered them inside.

"Winter is just around the corner, sir. It's supposed to be a cold one this year." There was a roaring fire, the furniture all made from polished wood, and everything looking very very cozy. She imagined herself sipping hot chocolate on the couch, with a special someone by her side. She shook these thoughts from her head as the big man led her and her sister deeper into the house.

"Ah! No more formalities please!" He laughed aloud. "It makes me feel old!"

"That's what our mom says!" Arianna laughed. "She apologizes that she couldn't meet you again, but she's at work." Thorin went to the spiral staircase and shouted for his youngest nephew to come down, and to bring his brother. Arianna's heart stuttered a beat at this, and she nervously shifted next to her sister.

"I didn't realize that your mother worked at the hospital." He picked up a cup of coffee from the table next to him. "My sister had told me, something about how they are friends on Facebook? We met after the accident in the mines, when we went to thank the staff."

"My mother told me about that too."

"They did an amazing job, granted they should. But I have never had a hospital that caring about their patients. Especially your mother."

"She loves her job, sir." Before he could correct her on the formalities, the two boys rounded the corner from the staircase, pushing each other playfully and laughing. Kili ran up to Isabelle almost immediately and took her hand.

"We're going to the game room, uncle." He stated, rushing up the stairs with Izzy behind him.

"Alright. Don't be stupid." Thorin called to his youngest nephew. He looked back at the two awkwardly standing in the living room. "I'll be in the kitchen." He glanced to Fili with a twinkle in his eye and walked through a doorway, leaving the two alone.

"I should go..." Arianna backed up towards the front door. "What time should I pick her up?"

"You should stay." He replied, his eyes serious and calm. Arianna felt a pull at her heart, she was nervous, she couldn't help it. Boys made her nervous, ever since her dad left, she hadn't felt the same.

"I-I can't. I have a ton of homework. What time works for you guys to pick her up?" She started stuttering again, her heart racing as he stepped closer to her.

"I have homework too. Maybe we could do it together?"

"I don't have it with me."

"We can go somewhere."

"I-I don't..." She couldn't even finish her sentence before he interrupted her.

"Any where you want to go, just name it."

"I don't think..." He interrupted her again.

"Please, Arianna, I just want to take you on a date." As soon as he spoke these words, his eyes grew wide and his face turned tomato red.

"What?" She cocked her head to the side.

"I-I want to take you on a date. A real one. Not one where we are following our siblings around. Just you and me. Maybe dinner, or coffee or something. Anything really." He stepped forward a little bit. "You're the only person that has made me feel welcome in this town. You're smart and you're funny, and as far as I know you don't care about the fact that I come from a rich family. I just want one chance, Arianna, just one chance to prove that maybe I can make you feel the way you make me feel." Before she could think of her actions or what she was doing, she practically flew into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting her face into his. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, welcoming her embrace like an old friend to his home. The church chorus sang, fireworks exploded, and as they pressed up against each other, they felt their bodies become one. Arianna's heart beat faster than she had ever felt it, his warmth had filler her to the brim. Like electricity, he sent a current through her body that she had never felt before. As soon as she pulled away and opened her eyes, the smile plastered to her face making her cheeks almost hurt.

"I'd love to." She finally whispered.


End file.
